Evolutionary science, God & ethics: Who believes and why
October 23, 2008
Evolutionary science, God & ethics: Who believes and why
A Freaky Friday Special Event, co-hosted by the Redpath Museum and the Lorne Trottier Public Science Symposium
Montage of Jesus Christ and Charles Darwin
Guest Lecturer: Dr. Brian Alters, Director, Tomlinson Project in University-Level Science Education (T-PULSE), McGill University
Half of North Americans do not believe that humans evolved; instead they typically believe that a supreme being specially created humans and have a religiously-based ethical system. What they believe about the foundational issues of evolution, and why they believe it, will be explored.
Following his lecture the A & E Biography of Charles Darwin entitled Charles Darwin: Evolution's Voice will be shown.
Date: Friday, October 31, 2008
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Redpath Museum Auditorium [map],
859 Sherbrooke Street West
Admission: Free
For additional information please contact either of the following:
Ingrid Birker
Science Outreach Coordinator
Tel.: 514-398-4086 ext. 4094
Delores LaPratt
Trottier Symposium Coordinator
Tel.: 514-398-2852
About the speaker
Dr. Brian Alters is a global leader in the field of evolution education and author of the best-selling Defending Evolution in the Classroom. In 2005, he was recruited as the only Expert Witness from Canada in the largest, most important, most publicized United States federal trial in over a quarter century on biological evolution, education and the U.S. Constitution. His testimony made headlines around the globe and contributed to a ruling that deemed the teaching of intelligent design in high school science classes unconstitutional.
Dr. Alters is the Tomlinson Chair in Science Education; Director, Tomlinson Project in University-Level Science Education (T-PULSE); Director, Evolution Education Research Centre; Sir William Dawson Scholar; winner of the Principal's Prize for Excellence in Teaching; and has held an appointment in the Harvard College Observatory at Harvard University for the past 10 years.
About the documentary
Charles Darwin: Evolution's Voice
He had to battle prejudice, ignorance and his own fear in his search for the truth. More than any other scientist, he changed mankind's view of the world and our place in it.
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution stands as one of the most important discoveries in the history of science. Yet in his lifetime, Darwin was reluctant to reveal what he had learned for fear that it would make him and his family despised outcasts. He was right to worry; more than a century later, there are those who cannot accept his findings. At the time, they were viewed by many as heresy. From his historic voyage on the Beagle to his personal anguish over publicizing his findings, this is a fascinating profile of the life and times of the great naturalist. Excerpts from his journals detail his discoveries while leading scientists and scholars, including the author of Charles Darwin: Evolution of a Naturalist, shed light on his private life, public persona and monumental legacy.
BIOGRAPHY® presents the saga of the man who changed our view of the world despite his misgivings.
(This movie synopsis is excerpted from aetv.com.)